Huntington officials condemn KKK Halloween horseback ride

Huntington, Indiana, is reviewing how its residents and leaders responded to a Halloween incident that divided the community over the weekend. On Saturday, a couple rode through residential streets on horseback while wearing Ku Klux Klan costumes. The event occurred during peak trick-or-treating hours, placing the riders in front of families and children in multiple neighborhoods.

Photographs and videos of the ride circulated rapidly on social media platforms. The digital spread prompted formal written responses from the mayor, the county commissioners, and a state senator. The officials issued their statements to address the public reaction and clarify the stance of local government regarding the display.

Huntington Mayor Richard Strick released a statement among the first of local officials. The Huntington County Commissioners followed with a joint statement condemning the behavior on Sunday. Rob Miller, the President of the County Commissioners, provided further context in an interview with 21Alive News. Miller argued that the community should not treat the event as a harmless seasonal prank.

Miller stated, “I think it’s something that we can’t disregard as just a Halloween prank.” He added, “I don’t know how anybody could come up with this and not know that this was such a dark chapter in this nation’s history, and to reenact, in costume fashion, this type of racism and violence that plagued this nation for years. I think it is unconscionable that somebody would think that that was OK.”

State Senator Nick McKinley, who represents Senate District 17, also issued a statement. His district covers Huntington, Grant, and Wabash counties. The inclusion of a state-level representative indicated that the incident had drawn attention beyond the immediate city limits.

The female rider declined an on-camera interview but communicated with 21Alive News via Facebook messages on Monday. She had previously posted to a local community Facebook group, describing the group as “1 ghost off the kkk, 2 ghost horses and 1 regular old ghost.” She apologized to children who took photos with the group and may have been offended.

In her messages to the news outlet, the rider defended the choice of attire. She said, “I think there’s not much wrong with it being a costume on Halloween. Lots of Halloween costumes are controversial.” She acknowledged that some residents were offended but noted, “it just doesn’t give them the right to attack people when we didn’t attack anybody.” She clarified that neither she nor her partner are Klan members or racists, and that the costumes were worn for approximately 30 minutes.

The rider described the backlash as disproportionate to the intent of the ride. She claimed the situation was “blown out of proportion as if we were trying to ‘send a message’ which we were not.” She reported that the reaction has escalated into targeted threats against her family and animals. She wrote, “I think the news needs to say something about the doxing, threats, defamation of character, and harassment that is happening.” She noted that threats included death threats and plans to steal horses.

Roderick Parker, founder of Big Hearts Community Projects, offered a path forward through direct conversation. Parker, whose daughter grew up in Huntington, described the display as shocking and hurtful. He stated, “It represents racism. It represents hatred of humanity.” He argued that reacting with hostility alone would not resolve the underlying issues.

Parker said, “Having a feeling or the emotion of anger is one thing, but if you move and react and respond with anger, you know, the only thing that you find is more anger.” He proposed an open discussion with the riders and local leaders to educate the community and bridge gaps. He told 21Alive News, “I would love for you guys to come sit down at a table with myself and a couple of the leaders in the community, so that we can have an open discussion.”

When asked if she and her boyfriend would be open to meeting with Parker, the rider expressed willingness to consider the proposal. She told the news outlet, “It would have to be something me and him discuss but a possibility.”